Salient features of Shakespearean comedies and their brief summaries
Shakespeare's romantic comedies differ vastly from their prototype of Greek and Roman comedies. It's hard to put Shakespeare in a nutshell. Here is my modest attempt to focus on some of the salient features of Shakespeare's comedies and provide brief summaries of his romantic plays which offer a glimpse into his high imagination and invention. This article (Part 1) is specifically designed to meet the needs of the beginners in understanding Shakespeare and the nature of Shakespearean comedy.
Introduction
"He was not for an age but for all time", Ben Jonson on Shakespeare.
The fact that the very age of Queen Elizabeth I is known today as Shakespearean age testifies how great the playwright was. Shakespeare lived and worked between 1564 and 1616 and marked the golden age of English literature. Not only his poems and plays but Shakespeare himself remains the subject of much speculation. Studying English literature sans Shakespeare is like studying biology without organisms.
Shakespearean comedies are a class in themselves. They may be called comedy of life where the man's follies are portrayed against the backdrop of the destiny of mankind. His plays provide artistic and ethical pleasure. Some of the essential features of Shakespearean comedy are:
Love and marriage occupy a significant place in his comedies. Cupid does not shoot his arrows on kings, queens, dukes and ladies but on clowns and peasants too. Most of his comedies end in multiple wedding celebrations and there is always a happy ending.
Ladies constitute the very soul of Shakespeare's comedies who play a pivotal role. His heroines are witty, lively and charming.
Humor with no corrective purpose is a feature of his comedies which is mostly done by witty clowns and fools on the stage. His humor is not to ridicule man's follies but to illuminate and amuse people.
Largely, his scene of action is not located in the real world. The actions are drawn with romantic splendor, mystery and fancy. His comedies carry us to a Utopian state or to some worldly paradise, far away from the dull reality.
At such wonderful and remote paradise on earth some unfamiliar or absurd incidents take place. Improbability, as a result of pure romance, is the essence of Shakespearean comedy.
His comedies deal with one or more than one sub-plots which equally develop with the main plot. Shakespeare completely succeeds in skilfully interweaving the sub-plots to the main plot.
In Shakespearean comedies, men and women of different class and mind appear. The clash of values and complex moods among them trigger mirth and laughter. Each character has weaknesses like vanity, greed, ambition, jealousy, credulity etc. The most noble and balanced character receives sympathy from the public.
Shakespearean comedies are not entirely romantic. His comedies portray real people too. If extremely romantic characters are present in his comedies, so are extremely realistic characters. No doubt, his comedies are not only rich in poetry and imagination but are examples of perfect blend of imagination and realism.
Music, both vocal and instrumental, play a pivotal role in Shakespearean plays. In his comedies too, songs are significant to the theme and structure of the play. Sometimes, music provides pure entertainment but at other times, they are meant to throw lights on characters or to carry the action forward. Shakespeare was highly influenced by the ballads and popular songs of his era.
Last but not the least, fools are essential to his comedies. It is essential to note that the audience can laugh with the fools but never laugh at them. These quick witted and lively characters not only make the audience laugh but help to moralize other characters of the play. The audience is amused by their humorous actions, and at the same time are impressed with their verbal felicity and ready wit.
Brief summaries of Shakespeare's early comedies
Shakespeare's romantic comedies can be divided into two parts - early and mature comedies, representing two phases of his career as a playwright, each marked by fresh developments and range in his art. Studying first Shakespeare's early comedies that include 'The Comedy of Errors', 'The Taming of the Shrew', 'Love's Labour's Lost', 'The Two Gentleman of Verona' and 'A Midsummer's Night's Dream' and then moving to his mature comedies reflect the playwright's various stages from crudity to artistic excellence.
Certain features of his early comedies may include frequent use of classical allusions, puns, conceits, rhymed couplets and rhymed quatrains, etc. They may lack effective characterization, deftness of themes and Shakespeare's profound insight and deeper insights into life. Despite some marks of immaturity, however, these plays are attractive due to the puns, clowns, lovely romantic scenes/settings and artistic imagination.
The Comedy of Errors (1593-1594)
The play is a tale of confused identities revolving around two sons who are twins and have the same name, and their twin slaves of the same name and who were separated by a shipwreck. Because of violating the law against travel between two rival cities, Syracusian merchant Egeon faces execution in Ephesus and to escape he tells Solinus, Duke of Ephesus, his sad story of life that he lost his wife and one of his twin sons in a shipwreck some twenty five years ago along with one of the twin slaves he purchased for his sons; recently the son, Antipholus, grew up with him, with his slave Dromio and left their place in search of the missing family members. When his son did not return, Egeon set out in search of him. Moved by this story, the Duke grants Egeon a day to pay the fine that would be necessary to save his life. Meanwhile, the same day, unknown to the father, Antipholus with his slave Dromio, lands in Ephesus, searching their brothers where Antipholus's missing twin brother of the same name is a prosperous citizen of the city. Antipholus of Ephesus is married to Adriana. The two pairs of twins get involved in many ludicrous situations.
Meanwhile, Antipholus of Syracuse falls for Luciana, Adriana's sister, who is shocked at the behaviour of her brother-in-law. Even Dromio of Syracuse discovers that he has a wife called Nell, a hideous kitchen-maid. The confusion increases as Angelo, the goldsmith, hands over the gold chain ordered by the Ephesian Antipholus to Antipholus of Syracuse. Later when Angelo asks to be reimbursed for the chain, Antipholus of Ephesus refuses to pay for the chain he has never seen or received. He is promptly arrested for debt. The Syracusans cannot but attribute these strange events to witchcraft and decide to flee from the city. But Adriana and the debt officer threaten them and they find refuge in a nearby abbey. On their way to Egeon's execution, Egeon and the duke meet Adriana who beg the Duke to intervene and release her "husband" from the abbey into her custody; whereas her real husband in the meanwhile approaches the Duke with charges against his wife. Finally, the situation is resolved by the Abbess who enters with the Syracusan twins and reveals herself to be Emilia, Egeon's long-lost wife, the mother of the twins. The Duke pardons Egeon and as the family reunites, there follows a reconciliation scene.
The Taming of the Shrew (1593-1594)
'The Taming of the Shrew' has a play within the play. In the English countryside, there is a poor drunkard named Christopher Sly who becomes a target of a prank by a local lord who happens to notice Sly while passing by. Sly, drunk out of his wits in front of an alehouse, is carried to the Lord's bedchamber by his men who dress him in lavish attire and treat him as a lord. When he awakes, the Lord's men refer to him as to a nobleman and tell Sly that only he believes that he is a beggar because he has been insane for the past several years. Sly, walking in the lord's bed, at first refuses to accept it and protests and at last believes the story and decides to enjoy the play performed in his honor, by a troupe of actors. The Lord's pageboy, dressed in women's clothing, plays the part of his wife. This play that Sly watches makes up the main story of 'The Taming of the Shrew'.
Lucentio, a young son of a wealthy Pisan merchant named Vincentio, along with his servants, Tranio and Biondello, has reached the Italian university city of Padua, to pursue his education at the local university. His priorities change as he lays eyes on Bianca, a beautiful, mild, young woman and Lucentio instantly falls in love with her. But, there are two problems: first, Bianca already has two suitors, an old fool named Gremio and the young Hortensio; secondly, her father Baptista Minola, a wealthy old man, has declared that no one will court Bianca until her elder sister Katharina, who is a vicious, feisty, quarrelsome, ill-tempered, young lady, is wed. Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, arrives on the scene who comes forward boldly to marry Katharina, the shrew, partly for the dowry and partly to help his friend Hortensio to win Bianca. Petruchio wants to marry a rich woman, and does not care what she is like as long as she brings him a fortune. Despite Katharina's protestation who insults Petruchio repeatedly, Petruchio delightedly informs her father that he and Katharina are to be wed on Sunday and the wedding is set.
Meanwhile, Lucentio plans with his servant Tranio to disguise himself as Cambio, Bianca's Latin instructor to gain an excuse to be in her company, while Tranio plays the role of his master. In his noble guise of Lucentio, Tranio too comes to Baptista with the intentions of marrying his daughter. However, Hortensio applies the same idea and disguises himself as Litio, her music teacher, to access Bianca. Both the wooers descend on the Baptista household. As Katharina's wedding is fixed, Baptista asks Bianca's suitors to provide the richest dowry. Lucentio, as her Latin instructor, declares his passion for Bianca and wins Bianca's heart. She dismisses Hortensio's advances and goes off resolving to marry a wealthy widow instead. Tranio brings an old traveler to play the role of Lucentio's father who assures Baptista that his daughter will receive a handsome dower. Baptista is satisfied and allows the wedding.
Katharina and Petruchio's wedding takes place hurriedly. Petruchio behaves strangely on his wedding day; he is late to his own wedding, leaving his bride to fear that she will become an unmarried old maid; dresses in a ridiculous outfit and rides on a "broken-down" horse. After the wedding, like a tyrant, Petruchio refuses to let Katharina stay for the wedding feast, forcefully carries her to his place in the country, telling her that she is now his property and that he may do with her as he pleases. At his country house, Petruchio continues the process of "taming" Katharina by various tricks like denying her food and sleep for several days. He pretends that he loves her so much that he cannot allow her to eat his inferior food or to sleep in his poorly made bed – all done to out-shrew Katharina under the guise of kindness and love.
At Petruchio's house, an aggressive Katharina is transformed into a polite, gracious and honey-tongued wife. Katharina and Petruchio set off to Padua to visit Baptista. On their way, the couple meets Lucentio's father, the real Vincentio, who is shocked to know that his son has married Bianca. All arrive at Padua, only to find that Lucentio and Bianca have stolen away to the church. Vincentio is shocked to see Tranio masquerading as Lucentio. Finally, Lucentio pleads for his father's forgiveness. Vincentio and Baptista finally agree to the marriage.
In the final scene, three newly wedded couples along with others gather at Lucentio's house. All are shocked to see a "tamed" Katharina who obeys everything that her husband says. When the three new husbands stage a contest to decide whose wife among - Kate, Bianca or the Widow - is most obedient to her husband, Petruchio gets an astonishing victory as Katharina emerges as the most obedient wife of all who delivers a speech detailing a wife's duty to her husband, and so the play ends.
Love's Labour's Lost (1594-1595)
The King of Navarre and his three lords, Berowne, Longaville, and Dumaine enter an academe and swear an oath to scholarship not to have food, sleep and not even look at women during their three years of study. However, Berowne, a bit hesitant to follow the rules, reminds the King that the Princess of France arrives on business from her father.
The sub-plot parodies the main plot. The King receives a letter from Don Armado, a Spanish soldier, visiting his court. Armado is full of stories which he narrates in a bizarrely verbose style. He informs them that he has caught Costard, a rude peasant and a fool, and Jaquenetta, a rustic dairymaid, consorting in the park. The King announces Costard only to have bread and water for a week. Armado confesses to his page, Moth, that he has fallen in love with Jaquenetta. As she takes no interest in him, so he takes his anger out on Costard by imprisoning him.
Meanwhile, the Princess of France has arrived with her ladies Rosaline, Katharine, and Maria. Due to his vow, the King cannot receive the Princess at his court; he and his lords must visit them at their camp outside the castle. However, it turns out that the three noblemen promptly fall in love with the three ladies as the King himself has a crush on the princess.
Meantime, Armado writes a love letter to Jaquenetta which he wants Costard to deliver. Berowne has the same idea and gives Costard a letter to deliver to Rosaline. But Costard accidentally delivers Berowne's letter to illiterate Jaquenetta who brings it to the learned Holofernes, a schoolmaster and Sir Nathaniel, the country preacher, to read for her. They tell her that the letter was meant for someone else and must be delivered to the King.
Berowne has no knowledge that his letter has fallen into the hands of a milkmaid. He recites a monologue wondering whether he can fall in love but is interrupted by the King who reads aloud a sonnet about his love for the Princess, not knowing that Berowne is hiding. Then Longaville enters and the King hides. Both the King and Berowne come to know about his love for Maria. As Dumain enters, Longaville hides and the other three observe Dumaine reading an ode he has written to Katherine. One by one, they emerge and scold each other for breaking the vow. At last, realizing that there's nothing wrong with wooing women and that it actually can be educational, all of them decide to court their women.
The noblemen come to the women in guise of Russians. The ladies too play a trick, confusing their identities so that the men will mix up their identities. Humiliated, the men reveal themselves and all enjoy a pageant called the "Nine Worthies", organised by Don Armado at the King's request. They are interrupted by the sudden news of the death of the King of France. The Princess and her ladies leave for Paris with the promise that they will return a year later and marry their suitors. The play ends with their departure.
The Two Gentleman of Verona (1594-1595)
The two "gentlemen" of the title are two bosom friends Proteus and Valentine of Verona whose love for the same woman separates them. As the play opens, they bid an emotional farewell for Valentine travels to Milan to see the world and improve himself and Proteus remains at home in Verona, tied by his love for Julia. Valentine at Milan serves the Duke of Milan where he falls in love with Silvia, the Duke's feisty daughter.
Meanwhile, Proteus is sent to the Duke's court in Milan too, by his father Antonio who happens to know that people have been talking for not sending his son to travel abroad. Though both Proteus and Julia are happy with the decision, Proteus sets off for Milan after exchanging rings with Julia and with promises to love each other forever. When Proteus arrives in the court, he too promptly falls in love with Silvia, forgetting all about the love he had left back home. Vowing to do anything to win her, he proceeds to undermine his friend by telling the Duke false stories about Valentine. When Valentine tells him about their plan to elope, Proteus informs the Duke of their plans, thereby gains his favour. Valentine is banished from the court.
Back in Verona, Julia decides to travel to Milan and disguises herself as a man, to be reunited with Proteus. Upon her arrival at the court as Sebastian, a page, Julia discovers Proteus and Thurio wooing Silvia. She lands a job from an unsuspecting Proteus.
Meanwhile, the banished Valentine becomes the leader of a band of outlaws. In the forest, Valentine makes them promise not to hurt any woman or helpless travelers. Silvia, still in love with banished Valentine, goes on seeking him with her good friend Sir Eglamour to escape from her father's oppressive will (to marry Thurio) but is captured by the outlaws. The Duke, Proteus, Thurio, Sebastian (Julia) organize a search party for Silvia. In the forest, Proteus saves Silvia from the outlaws and demands that Silvia should drop Valentine and get with him. She refuses to love him. When he tries to assault her, Valentine steps in and rescues her. He yells at Proteus for betraying their friendship. Proteus apologizes and in a burst of extravagant friendship, Valentine offers to yield Silvia to Proteus. At this moment, on hearing this, Sebastian faints and the page's true identity becomes clear. Proteus undergoes a sudden change of mind and realizes his true love for Julia. Julia forgives Proteus and they are together again.The Duke realizes that Thurio is a thug and agrees to Valentine and Silvia's marriage. At the end, Valentine suggests a double wedding both for him and his friend.
A Midsummer's Night's Dream (1595-1596)
Theseus, the Duke of Athens, is planning to get married to Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons, who has been recently defeated by Theseus and his army, and as a result he is preparing for a four-day festival of pomp and entertainment. He commissions Philostrate, the Master of the Revels, to make suitable arrangements for amusement on the occasion.
With daughter Hermia and two young men, Egeus, an Athenian noleman, enters into Theseus's court with a crisis. He wants Hermia to marry Demetrius (who loves Hermia), but she refuses to comply, wanting instead to marry Lysander, her beloved. An outraged Egeus wants Hermia to be punished with death sentence for her disobedience, per Athenian law. The Duke offers her two alternatives - either to accept the death penalty as punishment for disobedience or to enter a nunnery. Hermia is given four days to decide. Lysander protests, but is overruled by the law.
Nonetheless, secretly, Hermia and Lysander plan to flee Athens at night into the woods, thereby escaping the law and marry in the house of Lysander's aunt (some seven leagues away from the city and outside Athenian jurisdiction). They disclose their plan to Hermia's friend Helena. Helena was once engaged to Demetrius and still is madly in love with him though he jilted her after meeting Hermia. After the happy couple leaves, hoping to gain his favor and regain his love, Helena tells Demetrius of their plan to run away. At the appointed time, Demetrius enters into the woods after his intended bride and her lover, followed by Helena.
Meanwhile, in the same wood, a group of local craftsmen are preparing to perform a play to celebrate the Duke's upcoming wedding. They choose Pyramus and Thisbe, a tragic tale of two young lovers. The group decides to assign the roles and rehearse the play in the woods.
There are two very different group of characters. There is a group of Athenian craftsmen rehearsing a play that they hope to perform for the duke and his bride. Another group is a band of fairies; Oberon is the fairy king and Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, who has recently returned from India to bless the marriage of Duke Theseus and Hippolyta. King Oberon and Queen Titania quarrel over a young, beautiful Indian prince given to Titania by the prince's mother back in India. Seeking revenge, the jealous King sends Puck, his servant, to fetch a magical flower, the juice of which can be spread over a sleeping person's eyelids to make that person fall in love with the first creature he or she sees upon waking up. To enchant Titania, he plays a trick on his queen and squeezes the magical juice on the sleeping Titania's eyelids.
The same evening, Demetrius and Helena wander into the woods, following the runaway couple. King Oberon witnesses Demetrius and tries desperately to get rid of Helena and acts cruelly toward the lady. However, Helena's pathetic condition makes the King plan to reverse their roles; instructs Puck to spread some of the juice on the eyelids of the young Athenian man.
Puck, to the contrary, encounters Lysander and Hermia who are lost elsewhere in the forest. Assuming sleeping Lysander to be the Athenian of whom his King spoke, Puck accidentally uses the juice on him. Then by accident Helena comes up pursuing Demetrius and accidentally trips over the sleeping Lysander. Lysander wakes up and happens to see Helena, falls deeply in love with her and follows her into the forest abandoning Hermia. When Hermia realizes Lysander is gone, she goes on searching for him, clueless about his declaration of love for Helena. Oberon realizes the mistake and tries to rectify it by pouring some of the juice onto Demetrius's eyelids. But as luck would have it, Demetrius too falls in love with Helena. Helena thinks the two men are trying to torment her by playing a prank and becomes furious at their declarations of love. Both Lysander and Demetrius nearly do fight over Helena's love; Helena and Hermia begin to argue too. Puck intervenes, confuses them by mimicking their voices, leads them into the forest in circles until they collapse and fall asleep in exhaustion. He also brings the two women to the same area and puts them to sleep as well. Puck pours an antidote on Lysander's eyelids, planning appropriately so that when the young people wake up, the proper lovers are paired off happily.
As the four young lovers chase each other around the forest, the Athenian craftsmen rehearse their play nearby. Mischievous Puck decides to play a joke on Bottom, one of the worst actors, by transforming the guy's head into that of a donkey. Other members are terrified of Bottom's donkey head and run away in horror whereas Bottom is oblivious to his transformation. When Titania, who has been dosed with the magic love juice, wakes and takes one look at Bottom, she instantly falls in love with him.
Eventually, Oberon obtains the Indian boy and he releases Titania from the spell; also informs that Bottom will take the entire episode as a dream when he wakes up. He further releases Lysander from the spell.
Theseus and Hippolyta with a hunting party discover the sleeping lovers in the forest. When Egeus demands that he be allowed to exercise the law on Hermia, Demetrius intervenes and informs them that he now loves Helena and Lysander loves Hermia. Theseus orders the lovers to get married that day with him. All return to Athens. After the group wedding, the lovers watch Bottom and the rest of his company perform the hilarious version of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe.
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